This December is set to be colder than last year but it is not yet known whether we will have a White Christmas anywhere in the UK.

The Netweather climate forecast system indicates an increased chance of snow this Christmas with bookies giving 3/1 odds in Scotland.

NETWEATHER

The blue areas on this map show places where there is a chance of snow on Christmas Day

The Met Office spokesman said it is hard to say whether the impending cold weather will result in snow or just dry and frosty conditions.

He said drier air was likely to bring low temperatures to the UK which could mean more frost, but not necessarily, snow this month.

Doctor Jeff Knight, from the Met Office, said: “This time last year our outlook gave advance warning of the risk of the very mild, stormy and wet start to winter that was linked to the flooding in Cumbria, but this year indications are very different.

“Weather patterns with more frequent northerly or easterly winds are favoured, which increases the risk of cold weather.”

Snow hits the UK

Tue, November 22, 2016

Many places in the UK have been hit by snow. Blustery and wintry weather will sweep across Britain bringing fears of disruption and travel chaos.

Sheep huddle in heavy snow near Leadhills, South Lanarkshire, with wintry weather affecting parts of Scotland and the UK November 18 2016

Professor Adam Scaife, head of long-range prediction at the Met Office, added: “The stratosphere, tropics and Arctic sea ice are all trying to push our weather towards becoming colder over the next few weeks.

“Although it is not guaranteed, our long range predictions and those from other forecast centres suggest an increased risk of cold weather patterns early this winter.”

December 2015 is believed to have been the warmest December for 300 years. The UK’s last white Christmas was in 2010.

Coldest night of this autumn for England & Wales with -9.1C at Sennybridge, Powys, and temperatures are still dropping! Milder further north pic.twitter.com/ilgVhsWnj4